"I am looking forward to showing you my home. I think you will find it most comfortable."
She swallowed, finally dislodging the lump that had formed in her throat. Perhaps talking might help tamp the ever-growing heat in her body. "Do you have any servants?"
"No, since I am alone, and it is a very small farm. I have a garden and a few cows, but I use it mostly to train horses."
"You do?"
He nodded, the sensation of his scruffy cheek against hers another torment. "All of the horses of the clan are trained by me at one time or another."
"You must be very good then." She felt his grin.
"I am. It is a gift I've received from the gods, much like you received yours. I also help breed them. The one behind us? He will be bred next summer to one of my father's prized mares."
The pride in his voice only served to increase her attraction. This fierce warrior who both frightened and tempted her now seemed more human.
"How do you do it?"
"I can show you. Tomorrow, after we've visited the village."
"I'd like that," Katrin admitted. The last of the tightness left her shoulders while they spoke. Learning more of him made him less frightening, though not by much. While she knew nothing of the animals, she was suddenly intrigued by the idea of watching him work with the horse. An image flashed in her thoughts. Was it a vision? Not entirely, and without the accompanying tingle, she couldn't be sure. And while the sensation soon disappeared, the clear memory of the brief picture took hold.
Hradi, shirtless in the warmth ofSól's summer sun, encouraged a horse through various gaits. And though the glimpse was as tiny as she'd ever had, she clearly saw herself standing nearby, watching. What sucked the breath from her lungs was the knowledge she did not observe alone.
A small child clung to her leg.
Hers? With Hradi? How could that be possible? She was not meant to stay here in this prosperous village. Her future was far from here, of that she was certain. Or did she try to convince herself, recognizing a strange longing to stay here in Grindafell. If only she could gain a clearer vision, so she might understand and prepare herself for what lay ahead.
CHAPTER SIX
Hradi reined in the horse before a modest wooden house. He swung down then reached for Katrin. She went into his arms, shivering when he held her close, slowing her downward slide and prolonging the heated contact of their bodies. Her breath caught when she came eye level with him and she didn’t protest when he brushed his lips briefly across hers. When her feet touched the ground, he didn’t release her, his hand moving lower to cup her bottom through her dress. He gave a gentle squeeze and chuckled before abruptly releasing her. Her trembling knees threatened to collapse beneath her, but she managed to maintain a somewhat steady stance.
He pointed to the house. "Go ahead. I need to secure the horses."
Her throat remained thick and dry, preventing words, so she nodded and turned to the house. Heat blazed along her spine and she knew without a doubt he watched her while she walked away. How she resisted the urge to turn back to look at him, she might never know. Her hand trembled when she reached for the latch and pushed the door open.
The large main room featured a pit with a ceiling hole directly above to release smoke. With the fire cold, the room held a chill. Katrin looked around for kindling or perhaps some touchwood to restart the fire. While not as grand as the great hall in the village, this house was well-appointed, with a sturdy, well-made table and even two chairs along with the usual benches. She set her satchel on the table and continued her search, heading toward the room on the other side of the wall. She stopped short, staring at the massive bed piled high with furs and an ornate headboard made of antlers. The knowledge that Hradi slept there, that she would be expected to sleep there as well, spurred another slash of heat in her belly. She backed away and returned to the main room, intent on resuming her search for something with which to start a fire.
The door swung open and she spun about. Hradi stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the sun behind him. Though she couldn’t see his face, she suspected he smiled. Stepping inside, he pushed the door. It shut with an ominous thud.
Now she saw him clearly. The hunger in his eyes roused a mix of eagerness and apprehension. Though no visions assailed her this time, she felt fairly certain she knew his thoughts. Besides, her empathic skills honed in on his feelings, with no one else around to interfere. Or maybe it was because she shared similar sentiments.
"It’s cold in here."
His words were so soft, she almost didn’t hear them. Somehow, she found her voice this time. "I was looking for firewood."
"It’s outside. I’ll get some."
She took up a position near one of the chairs, putting the table between them in the peculiar hope it might shield her from his intense stare. He grinned, as though he knew exactly what she was doing.
He casually strode around the table. She refused to move, not wanting to reveal her fear, which he would surely notice if she fled his approach. Her fingers tightened on the back of the chair, until her knuckles whitened. When he stopped in front of her, she met his gaze evenly.
His hand came up and caught her chin in his fingers. She resisted the urge to flinch, staring into his eyes. A flash of her earlier visions arose but was quickly chased by the feel of his mouth landing on hers, his lips warm and gentle for the briefest moment before the kiss grew hungry. The thought that the reality far surpassed anything her dreams had stirred sparked in the chaos engulfing her. Hradi wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her tight against him, his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth. A small whimper, of delight or submission she wasn't sure, escaped when she obliged him and parted her lips.
The heat of his tongue sent a rush of longing throughout her, settling in her sex with a fiery throbbing that left her panting. Still, he devoured her, and she let him sweep her along with the passion he stoked. She clung to his shoulders, afraid that if she let go, she might tumble away from him, and she wished this kiss might go on forever.
A moment later, he released her and she stumbled back, her heart racing, the blood pounding in her ears with a thunderous rumble. Desire maintained its velvet grip along her entire body, making her nipples tight and tingling, her knees wobble and her core explode. This overpowering sensations threatened to consume her soul. She pressed trembling fingers against her lip, her attempts to regain control finally succeeding when she took another deep breath.
He pointed to a crate beside the firepit. "I will bring some firewood and get us something to eat. You will fetch the water so we can cook those vegetables. I will show you the well."
